Target
by DREAMSandLOVE
Summary: Why did Ron Weasley laugh at Draco Malfoy's name on their first train ride to Hogwarts? An insight of Ron's thoughts the first Friday night he spends at Hogwarts. A bit darker than it seems.


**Hello, World! How are you on this lovely whatever time of day you're now in? Here I present my second story, it's entirely for my dear Loon (Loony-1995, go read their stories, NOW!) because of their great support, so thank you. **

**I got inspired randomly at school one day, and I love it. I hope you'll love it, too. Reviews are more than appreciated and if there's any mistakes feel free to point them out.**

**Disclaimer: the amazing J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter, along with other companies whose names I'm too lazy to write. **

* * *

I didn't mean to laugh. Really. Mum taught me to be polite always, even to a Malfoy.

But it was funny, well his name wasn't; it never was, it never will. That name still sends shivers down my spine because of that day six years ago.

Neither is the way he said it, even thought it was quite silly.

No, it was the day, more precisely, the memory of that day.

* * *

A few weeks before it, my Dad had brought home yet another one of those weird Muggle artifacts he likes. A 'protector', I think he said. It didn't look like it could protect anything though.

Anyway, that summer morning I had woken up earlier than usual. The Twins had pranked me again, so they were grounded, they had to do my chores for a week. I decide to get up earlier to avoid having to wake up to spiders crawling up my body.

Percy was eating his breakfast with his eyes glued to a book, like always. Mum was cooking for the others. I was halfway through my third serving; it was still a mystery to me and all wizard kind where it went. Dad was locked up in his shed. Mum didn't like it, but it was Saturday and there wasn't much she could do anyway. I sometimes wondered if it really bothered her or if she was just pretending to keep appearances.

The door opened with a 'BAM' and Dad was stepping inside with the 'protector' in his arms, a big smile on his face. He left the thing on the table and spoke to us all,

"Don't touch it. Don't break it. Don't drop it. Wait here."

And we did exactly as he said. Well, we actually just carried on and tried our best to ignore It.

He came back with a strange box; it was made of metal and looked like a wheel. It was apparently called 'movie'; what was inside at least.

"Molly, go wake up Ginny and the Twins. Ron, go fetch a big, white sheet from the closet. Percy, help me get the sitting ready." Dad said, making little jumps like me and Ginny on Christmas morning. "What are we waiting for?"

"Arthur, I don-," Mum began but Dad wouldn't have it.

"Molly, dear, it's completely safe, I promise." She sighed.

"Alright, but if any of my children happen to get hurt, you'll answer for it," Mum said sternly.

"Of course, dear!" Dad said; he was far too excited to be frightened of a look he had seen a thousand times before.

And with that, Percy and Dad went to the sitting room; Mum went upstairs to wake up Ginny and the Twins while I was left to fish out a _white sheet_ in a house where everything was so old, it was impossible to find anything without some kind of stain on it.

* * *

I decided to just get the whitest one.

If it were any other of my siblings, she probably wouldn't notice, or wouldn't care. And yes, I said she. Mum always found something wrong with the things I said or did even if it meant mixing with Dad's Muggle things.

Why?

Well, maybe because I'd done something wrong by just existing. I'm the sixth son she never wanted, after all.

I know she loves me but she loves the others more; especially Ginny, the daughter she always wanted, the first Weasley girl in generations.

So, whatever I did, she yelled at me, scolded me. But she still grounds the Twins when they prank or tease me.

Strange, I know.

I wish she didn't. That's exactly what they want. They're desperate for some attention from Mum, whether bad or good. They don't want too much bad attention, that's why they target only me and Percy; we're not that high in Mum's list so they don't get in a lot of trouble. I'm the little brother and Percy's the smart one...

Mostly me.

Percy ignores them most of the time, and they know that if they cross the line with him, he'll hex them faster than they can say 'prank'.

But me?

I can barely hold a wand properly, let alone use one. And the one I have isn't even mine, it's Charlie's old one.

I'm the only one out of my siblings who's not going to go to Olivander's before their First year at Hogwarts. I'm still going but not until I'm out of Hogwarts and have my own money.

I can't wait.

I was crushed when Mum and Dad told me I wasn't getting my own. I wasn't getting my own robes, my own pet, my own books and now wand. All of it wasn't mine, it was my brothers'.

I've never had anything that was completely mine.

* * *

Once I found it, I immediately took it to the sitting room. Dad and Percy had closed all the curtains; they moved the coffee table against the wall opposite to the doorway, Dad's chair besides it, facing the fireplace. They were currently placing the couch on the other side of Dad's chair.

"Is this one okay?"

"Oh, yes, Ron! Yes, indeed. This one is perfect!" Dad exclaimed. I beamed at it; it was a rare occasion when one of my parents praised me. I reckon it was just because Dad was excited about this 'movie' thingy but it still felt nice. Dad would always praise and defend me from Mum and the Twins if it had anything to do with Muggles. That's the only thing he argued with her for too.

I caught sight of Percy, smiling sadly at me. He got it. Not completely but he still had to endure things I did. He gets it. And I love him all that much more because of it.

Apparently I was, or rather am, what Muggles call a 'Target Child'.

Percy read about it on a Muggle newspaper, while he was in town.

I overheard him talking about it with Bill and Charlie, last Christmas. I didn't mean to spy on them, but I had had a nightmare and went looking for Charlie; he was always warm, and not only was I scared, but also freezing.

They were discussing something. Me. They were discussing me, me and my situation. Percy was explaining to my two oldest brothers my status as a 'Target Child'.

From what I gathered, it meant that out of us seven, Mum, because Dad couldn't be bothered by us, said Percy, had chosen me as the one to get her frustrations out on.

She had chosen me as her punching bag.

Both, Charlie and Bill, were a bit horrified at the thought, but seemed to agree. Percy then asked them if they could take me with them. Away from Her.

Charlie looked ready to say yes, but then, his eyes landed on the picture of him and his mates at the reserve, the dragon reserve. His shoulders slumped down, and he had his head in his hands.

Percy turned to Bill sighing sadly and said,

"A five thousand years old tomb is not a very good place for a tiny ten year old, is it?"

Bill smiled sadly, now that I think about, they all looked very sad, defeated. He shook his head 'no'.

I chose that moment to knock the door, popping my head through the crack I had been watching through.

"Charlie?" I asked.

"Yes, Ronnie?" He said with warm eyes and a welcoming smile. It was a nice change from the unusually cold and hard gaze he'd had moments before, his mouth set in a firm line.

"Yeah, Ronnie, come here. Did you have a nightmare?" Bill said. I loved it when my three oldest brothers call me 'Ronnie'. It made me feel safe. When anyone else in my family said it, it just felt…wrong.

I nodded.

Percy opened his arms for a hug, I ran into his embrace. Bill and Charlie joined us.

That night we slept all snuggled up, like we did when I was really little, and Bill was still at Hogwarts. Good thing he always excelled at Transfigurations.

* * *

In the end, the sheet was supposed to be hanged up on something, stretched out like a 'screen'. That was where the 'movie' was played.

I found out a 'movie' was much like a photograph or a portrait. But it had sound, and it didn't repeat the same motion over and over, like the first; and you couldn't interact with the ones displayed on it, like the latter.

Mum had gotten some blankets out. As she hadn't let Dad show the 'movie' until after dinner, it was a little cold. I didn't even bother to try and fight for one. I just went up to my room, picked up my own, and once in the sitting room, I grabbed one of the disused cushions and settled on the floor.

Dad sat on his chair, in the extreme of the couch closest to it, was Mum with Ginny on her lap; the two were snuggled up under a blanket. Percy was beside them looking skeptic, and a little bored, not to mention tremendously annoyed. But, of course, the Twins were on his other side, goofing around with the blankets they'd fetched.

I smiled a little at it, and Percy shot me mock glare, then he did something that surprised me, he grabbed his blanket and cushion and sat himself on the floor next to me.

Dad didn't notice and Mum was even more surprised than me. Ginny, Fred and George didn't seem to mind as they played around. I was delighted.

This 'movie' was about this bloke called James Bond, who was an international spy. Dad said it was the first of many more. It was called 'Dr. No', and it came from the villain's name, that in my opinion had nothing on Professor Snape, especially now that I've actually met him.

So, yeah, here comes the part where I explain the why...

This…Bond introduced himself just like Malfoy did, well, not with that much arrogance, but they both said it with this little formula: last name, complete name, or whatever…

The silliest thing ever, but I think I already said that. Even silly for the Twins, with their dumb:

"Weasley,"

"Fred..."

"And George..."

"Weasley."

It didn't last long though. Percy made sure of it. I realize now he took care of something much more important too.

"Mmm, Fred, George" He began, in a pompous voice, forcedly so. _"This might be good"_ I thought. "Shouldn't it be, dear brothers, 'Idiots, We are Idiots'?"

It certainly wasn't one of the best jokes -not even close to Percy's best- but it was enough to make me laugh after a tortuously long day avoiding Fred's and George's wrath -if I was lucky enough to manage it.

"Very well, now that I've stopped that idiocy. Ronnie, what about we tuck in for the night? And, by the way, would you mind if I joined you in your room? I think the 'movie' is going to give me nightmares" Percy said, whispering the last part. We laughed quietly about it all the way up to the bathroom to brush our teeth.

* * *

So that's why I laughed. When Malfoy came into our compartment, and introduced himself like that, I was immediately transported to that day. The one which started off as a normal –thought, dangerous-one, passed with the promise of revenge making itself true, included a silly 'movie' with a silly phrase, but that ended with the real Percy making an appearance. The one that brought that side of Percy who only shows itself with me, Bill and Charlie.

I laughed more because of the irony of it all, than because it was funny, as it was only slightly so. I laughed because one of the worst and most painful, both physically and emotionally, days ended with Percy lulling me to sleep.

And I was going to apologize, by the way; but the prat insulted my family, and that's not something I forgive easily.

* * *

**Well, I hope you enjoyed it, and let me know what you think about it, even if it's just a smiley, smileys are good. Some favs will be nice too.**

**Dreams **


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